WOODBRIDGE — The phone at the Woodbridge Animal Shelter has been ringing all morning with people who want to adopt the dog abandoned at a Woodbridge school earlier this week, staff members say.

"His future looks very good," said Austin Clyburn, the animal control officer who picked up the Cane Corso, whose ears had been clipped, from School #9 in Port Reading, where he was found tied to a sign in the back of the school Tuesday morning. "I have pages and pages of people who want to adopt him."

Clyburn said the shelter staff has named him George, and “he’s a real mush.”

Video: Woodbridge Animal Shelter hopes to find loving home for abandoned dog with ears cut offThe Woodbridge Animal Shelter is looking for the owners of an abandoned dog whose ears were cut off. The dog was found Tuesday at School No. 9 in the Port Reading section of Woodbridge. According to Animal Control Officer Austin Clyburn who was called to the scene, "the dog a 'Cane Corso' was tied to a handicapped sign with a leash and pronged choke collar." Staff members at the shelter named the dog George and are hoping to find him the loving home he deserves once he is available for adoption. 04/11/2013 (Video by Patti Sapone/The Star-Ledger)

"He loves to play,” Clyburn said. “He’s a big dog with a lot of energy. Show him a toy and he gets so excited.”

Originally, the shelter staff believed George was between 5 and 7 years old, but the veterinarian who came in to see him, believes he is actually 3 or 4 years of age, but he was kept in poor conditions and not given proper care, making him appear older.

"He is slightly underweight and his teeth and gums are in bad condition,” Clyburn said. “His toe nails are also filed down. We think he was kept outside, probably on cement and wore down his nails. He was not shown any love.”

As for his ears, Clyburn said clipping the ears is usually done to make the dog look tough or, if used as hunting or fighting dogs, to keep another animal from hurting them.

There are no signs that George was used as a fighting dog, Clyburn said. “There are no injuries or scars on him and he is not fearful of other dogs,” he said. “In fact, he gets very excited when he sees another dog.”

“There are very few legitimate reasons to clip a dog’s ears,” he said.

Clyburn said Cane Corsos, a breed that originated in Italy, are not the kind of dogs one would usually get at a shelter or pet store.

“We may get two or three a year,” he said. “They are breed specific dogs. Most people buy them at a breeder. They can cost $1,000 or more.”

While George will probably find a new home, finding his previous owner will be difficult unless authorities receive help from the public.

“There were no surveillance cameras,” Clyburn said. “We’re checking with breeders and veterinarians in the area, but my professional opinion is that chances are slim we’ll find the owner.”

By law, the shelter must hold an animal for seven days before the shelter can make him available for adoption.

“We doubt his owner will come forward,” Clyburn said. “Once he’s ours, he’ll go through temperament tests and evaluations. Then we’ll put him up for adoption and go through the applications. We try to find the best home for him.”